This is a need for bacterial barriers that are also water vapor permeable, from which surgical drapes and gowns and similar articles can be fabricated. The desired properties of such barriers would include:
1. Ability to prevent passage of bacteria, even under moderate pressure such as would be encountered by a surgeon leaning against a sharp edge or corner;
2. Comfortable to wear, which requires a certain minimum moisture vapor transmission rate. Of secondary importance is the amount of skin contact;
3. Sterilizability;
4. Absence of linting;
5. Low cost so that the article can be used once and then discarded (to eliminate the need for the hospital to launder and sterilize the article);
6. Appropriate aesthetics, including a fabric-like appearance. This is especially important for surgical gown material; and
7. Sufficient strength to withstand (a) fabrication into finished products, (b) normal handling, and (c) the stresses and strains incurred in use.
The present invention is directed to the provision of a bacterial barrier that has the above-enumerated properties. As far as is known, no earlier material has all of these properties.